Why on earth should lighthouse protection be a matter for the federal government at all? Sure the consitution can be read to mean that lighthouses fall under the federal government's ocean purview, just like how it can these days be read to say almost anything (c.f. poofter rights). That doesn't mean something that has to be considered a local issue for B.C. and Maritime voters need tie up the attention of the Canadian Parliament.

There's also a western alienation issue at stake here [can you really say that when discussing a B.C. issue sponsored by Senator Pat Carney? -ed], because I don't remember the feds coming to the rescue of Alberta's grain elevators.